HM Treasury

Revenue and Customs: Complaints

Karen Lumley: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many letters of complaint to HM Revenue and Customs have been responded to within 28 days in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: HM Revenue and Customs uses a 15 working day response target for complaints. As at the beginning of October, for the year to date the Department’s 15 day response performance stands at 75%.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Karen Lumley: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average waiting time was for telephone calls to HM Revenue and Customs to be answered in each year for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs publishes regular performance reports, including average speed of answer; details of which are available on GOV.UK.

VAT: Electric Vehicles

Grant Shapps: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reduce the rate of VAT on the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles once the UK has left the EU.

Jane Ellison: While all taxes are kept under review, there are no plans to reduce the rate of VAT applied to sales of electric and hybrid vehicles.

VAT: Solar Power

Grant Shapps: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reduce VAT on the purchase of new solar panels as part of home renovations once the UK has left the EU.

Jane Ellison: While all taxes are kept under review, there are no plans to reduce the rate of VAT applied to sales of solar panels.

Boats: Belgium

James Duddridge: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make representations to the Belgian government on allowing owners of UK leisure craft to use Belgian port facilities without fear of prosecution where those vessels are powered by red diesel purchased in the UK in accordance with UK tax regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The use of red diesel with full duty paid to propel private pleasure craft is allowed within UK waters under UK legislation. If red diesel is used outside UK waters the national legislation, including restrictions and prohibitions, of other Member States applies. This includes Belgium, or any other country in whose coastal waters it is used.

Bank Cards: Fraud

Nigel Adams: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many recorded incidents of fraud on contactless cards have been recorded since that technology became available.

Simon Kirby: The Government does not hold any data on the recorded incidents of fraud on contactless cards. Industry statistics received from Financial Fraud Action UK indicate that in the first half of 2016 there were £2.9 million losses attributed to fraud on contactless cards compared to a spend of £9.27 billion. According to the industry, fraud on contactless cards accounts for less than 1% of card fraud losses.

Roads: Capital Investment

Mims Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will increase the Local Majors Fund.

Mr David Gauke: The Local Majors Fund supports local transport scheme bids which are too big to receive support from the Local Growth Fund. At the Spending Review in 2015, the Government announced the Local Majors Fund would comprise £475 million of funding over this Parliament. This Fund forms part of the Government’s commitment to infrastructure – over 3000 infrastructure projects have been delivered across the country since 2010.

Excise Duties: Spirits

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the economic effect on small and new-entrant producers of the introduction of the standard charge imposed by HM Revenue and Customs under the Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme; and what reports he has received of whether the standard charge is a barrier to entry for small and new-entrant producers and a restraint on trade.

Jane Ellison: An assessment of the impact of the verification scheme was published in 2012 as part of a consultation: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121205004423/http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageLibrary_ConsultationDocuments&propertyType=document&columns=1&id=HMCE_PROD1_032348 No respondents to the consultation suggested an alternative method of apportioning the costs of the scheme; this was reflected in a subsequent assessment of impacts, although this has not been published. The Spirit Drinks (Costs of Verification) Regulations 2013 require the Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs to review the operation and effect of these regulations and publish a report within five years of them coming into effect. Such a report will be produced in 2018. There have been no reports to say that the standard charge is a barrier to entry for small and new entrant producers or a barrier to trade. The Government would welcome any evidence that the fees are a barrier to entry.

Prime Minister

Leader of the House of Commons: Elections

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Prime Minister, if she will introduce legislative proposals to allow the Leader of the House to be elected by the House; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Theresa May: I have no plans to do so.

Prime Minister: Meetings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2016 to Question 48659, if she will make it her policy to include minutes of meetings with external agencies and members of the press as part of the transparency data which is released on a quarterly basis.

Mrs Theresa May: This government publishes an unprecedented amount of data. Departments publish details of Ministers' meetings, gifts, hospitality and travel on a quarterly basis.

Prime Minister: Meetings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Prime Minister, if she will update the publication of the quarterly statistics of meetings held by the Prime Minister to cover the period since March 2016.

Mrs Theresa May: Details of Ministerial meetings, gifts, hospitality and travel are published on a quarterly basis. The next set of data will be published shortly.

Department for Work and Pensions

Employment and Support Allowance

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the evidence his Department has received which illustrates that a change in the level of employment and support allowance work-related activity group funding will support claimants into work.

Penny Mordaunt: A number of international studies, and a 2005 report[1] by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development argued that “financial incentives to work can be improved by either cutting welfare benefit levels, or introducing in-work benefits while leaving benefit levels unchanged”.There will be new funding worth £60 million in 2017/18, rising to £100 million in 2020/21, which will support those with limited capability for work to move towards and into suitable employment. We will also soon publish a Green Paper that will explore a range of options for long-term reform across different sectors, targeting the factors which contribute to the Disability Employment Gap.[1] http://www.oecd.org/employment/emp/36780865.pdf

Members: Correspondence

Mr David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken is by the Benefit Director in his Department to reply to hon. Members' correspondence.

Damian Hinds: The average time taken by Benefit Directors to respond to hon. Members’ correspondence so far this calendar year is 12 working days.

Members: Correspondence

Mr David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedure is in place for the Benefits Director in his Department to send written replies to letters from hon. Members writing on behalf of constituents.

Damian Hinds: Letters from MPs, raising concerns on behalf of their constituents, are allocated to the DWP Complaints and Correspondence Team to investigate and draft a response on behalf of DWP. DWP has procedures in place for handling correspondence from Ministers and MPs.DWP has answered 4264 pieces of correspondence in relation to Benefits from MPs so far this calendar year, so the Benefits Director has authority to delegate cases to other DWP Directors to reply to hon. Members.However, the Benefits Director will be aware of all types of enquiries coming into DWP.

Industrial Health and Safety

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2016 to Question 48471, if he will make it his policy to collect shift pattern data for (a) mining and (b) other potentially dangerous industries.

Penny Mordaunt: HSE does not plan to make any changes to its policy in collection of shift pattern data for the mining industry. HSE routinely makes use of available sources such as the Labour Force Survey to identify shift patterns and has commissioned research, where appropriate, to address specific issues.If an investigation of a reported incident led an HSE inspector to believe that shift work (or any risks associated with shift work) was a potential causative factor, they would pursue that line of enquiry and take appropriate enforcement action where necessary.

Home Office

Religious Buildings: Security

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her Department plans to allocate £2.4 million for the security measures at vulnerable faith institutions in Action Against Hate: the UK Government's plan for tackling hate crime, published in July 2016; and if she will make a statement.

Sarah Newton: Places of worship that have been subject to, or are vulnerable to, hate crime attacks can bid for protective security measures such as CCTV cameras, perimeter fencing, access control equipment, locks and alarms. The criteria for the scheme and guidance on how to apply are published on Gov.UK.285 bids were received for this years scheme which closed on 4 October. Applications which meet the scheme criteria are assessed by an independent advisory panel which recommends those which should be funded. The panel will consider this years applications on 25 October 2016.

Asylum: Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers who are also victims of trafficking were witnesses or accused in criminal proceedings in each year from 2010 to 2015.

Sarah Newton: The Home Office does not systemically record whether asylum seekers who are also victims of trafficking have involvement in criminal proceedings. Data on involvement of witnesses, defendants and offenders in criminal proceedings is a matter for the Ministry of Justice.

Human Trafficking: Children

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals for her Department to take responsibility for the care and accommodation of trafficked children.

Sarah Newton: Trafficked children are some of the most vulnerable children in the country.It is in the best interests of the child that the social care professional responsible for making decisions relating to the care of the child, should be familiar with the area and able to access other local services, including those the local authority are already responsible for.Keeping responsibility at a local level enables and empowers professionals from police, education, health, housing and special educational needs provision to work together to assess the child’s needs and regularly review the child’s care.The Government has made improvements to the care and protection of trafficked children, including setting a clear expectation that placement decisions should take particular account of protecting the child from any continued risk from traffickers and from a heightened risk of going missing through statutory guidance, launching a Child Trafficking Protection Fund of up to £3m and committing to the roll out Independent Child Trafficking Advocates.

Northern Ireland Office

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much of the £500 million designated to shared education and housing from the Fresh Start deal has been spent to date.

Kris Hopkins: The Government continues to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the £500 million of funding for shared and integrated education and shared housing can be spent effectively. £43 million of funding has already been allocated over a number of years to fund the construction of shared education campuses at Limavady, Moy and Ballycastle and integrated school projects at Braidside, Drumlins and Roe Valley.

Department of Health

Cannabidiol

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has had any discussions with the Home Secretary on the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) review of the classification of products containing cannabidiol since the MHRA's news story on that review was published on 13 October 2016.

Nicola Blackwood: There have been no discussions at Ministerial level but officials from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Home Office have been in contact regarding this issue. At present, the MHRA has offered an opinion that products containing cannabidiol used for medical purposes should be regulated as medicinal products. If manufacturers do not accept this, the MHRA can use a statutory determination process to formally classify their product(s).

Blood: Contamination

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to announce details of the discretionary support scheme for people affected by contaminated blood.

Nicola Blackwood: As part of the wider reforms of the Infected Blood Payment support schemes in England, a new discretionary scheme is in design and will be delivered once a new scheme administrator is established in 2017/18. Details of the discretionary support scheme will be provided at that stage. A new discretionary scheme will replace the existing three discretionary schemes.

Liver Diseases: Transplant Surgery

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will undertake a national review of liver transplantation services to help (a) ensure better access for patients and (b) increase capacity.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS England intends to review liver transplantation services during 2018/19. There is sufficient capacity to transplant the organs that are donated currently. Organ donor and transplant rates have been increasing steadily over the last eight years. In 2008/09 there were 1,860 donors and 3,513 solid organ transplants. In 2015/16 these figures were 2,439 donors and 4,601 transplants. This increase of 31% in both donors and transplants over this timeframe, was achieved mainly through a strengthening of the donation infrastructure including increased specialist nurses, improved retrieval arrangements, increasing consent rates and better organ utilisation. The current United Kingdom strategy launched in July 2013, Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020, sets the agenda for increasing organ donation and transplantation rates still further.

Alcoholic Drinks: Consumption

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce alcohol consumption in England.

Nicola Blackwood: The new United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines provide the public with the most up to date scientific information to help people make informed decisions about their own drinking. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-consumption-advice-on-low-risk-drinking The Department and Public Health England (PHE) will be reviewing the advice on higher risk drinking, in light of the new guidelines, at a UK level through a consensus process in partnership with the devolved administrations. PHE is using its One You campaign to motivate people to take steps to improve their health through tackling the main risk factors such as smoking, inactivity, obesity, and alcohol. One You provides a Drinks Tracker app to help drinkers identify risky behaviour and lower their alcohol consumption. Local government has been given the responsibility, backed by ring-fenced budgets, to improve people’s health. This includes responsibility for tackling problem drinking and commissioning appropriate prevention and treatment services for their local population’s needs.

Pharmacy: Working Hours

Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to the supplementary hours worked by pharmacists on provision of pharmaceutical services in each NHS locality.

David Mowat: The community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond reforms announced on 20 October were considered in respect of the public sector equality duty, the family test and relevant duties of the Secretary of State under the National Health Service Act 2006. This included the impact on the provision of pharmaceutical services by community pharmacies including supplementary hours.

Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2016 to Question 49267, (a) when and (b) with which providers the 65 specialist mental health beds were commissioned; where those beds are situated in England; and if he will make a statement.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 18 October 2016 to Questions 49268 and 49269, when the review of provision of specialised beds began; with whom NHS England is consulting on that review; when that review is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 18 October 2016 to Questions 49268 and 49269, for what reasons the introduction of a moratorium on the commissioning of new specialised mental health services was introduced in 2013; whether that moratorium is still in place; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: The majority of the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) tier 4 beds were opened on a phased basis during 2014. The table below shows the location of these beds. LocationGeneral CAMHSPsychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)TotalSheffield151227York505East Anglia055Somerset808Torquay6410Winchester101Total352156 The two additional adult medium secure mental health beds are located in Nottinghamshire and were opened in 2015. The seven additional perinatal mental health beds were commissioned recently and we expect they will all be open soon. The table below shows the location of these beds. LocationBedsYorkshire and Humber2Midlands2London2Wessex1Total7 The review into perinatal mental health beds is nearing a conclusion. The procurement to secure the providers will be announced soon and the intention is to award the contracts with effect from 1 April 2017. The CAMHS review is making good progress and by the end of the calendar year there will be clear recommendations about the future provision of services to ensure there is a more appropriate balance of beds nationally overall to support more local care. For adult secure mental health services the service review work will be making recommendations about the future distribution of services by spring 2017. All of the service reviews have involved local stakeholder engagement to ensure the needs of local populations are taken into account. Alongside this engagement, work has been undertaken with key stakeholder groups in conducting the review of services and developing service specifications. The moratorium was one that was originally applied to all specialised services when NHS England was established in 2013 to ensure stability at a time of significant change. As service reviews are undertaken it is appropriate to consider not just the service quality, capacity and demand issues but also the commissioning approach in terms of service distribution and the provider market. This is happening on a service by service basis. Whilst each service review is undertaken no new services will be commissioned.

NHS: Drugs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to paragraph 2.2 of the Government response to the Review on Antimicrobial resistance, published in September 2016, what plans he has to tackle the failure of market incentives to deliver public health need with regard to (a) cancer, (b) hepatitis C and (c) other conditions on account of high prices; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: The Government is committed to ensuring that patients have access to effective new drugs where they represent value to the taxpayer.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides authoritative, evidence based guidance for the National Health Service on whether significant new medicines represent an effective use of NHS resources. The 2014 Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme enables companies to offer patient access schemes to improve the value proposition of drugs undergoing assessment by NICE, such as through a discount on the list price. NHS commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended by NICE, normally within three months of final guidance.These arrangements have helped to ensure that many thousands of patients have been able to access effective medicines that their clinician wants to prescribe, including patients with hepatitis C, cancer and other conditions.We do not believe those market failures identified by the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance are relevant when considering these medicines.

Kidneys: Transplant Surgery

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are on NHS waiting lists for kidney transplants.

Nicola Blackwood: As of 20 October 2016, there were 5,102 people on the active kidney transplant waiting list. Waiting list figures can fluctuate daily as patients are removed or added to the transplant list as their condition improves or deteriorates.

Midwives: Training

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of student midwives who started their training (a) completed their studies and (b) went on to work as midwives in the NHS in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many student midwives (a) began and (b) successfully completed their training in England in each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne: The following table shows the total number of student midwives who began training in each year in England in each of the last five complete years. Year2011/122012/132013/142014/152015/16Student Midwives2,4842,5802,5402,5352,580 Source: multi professional education and training budget monitoring returns. The Department of Health and Health Education England do not hold any data on completion of training rates and if midwives went on to be employed in the National Health Service.

Pharmacy

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department intends to ensure that (a) no community in England will be left without a pharmacy and (b) that access to pharmacies will improve following funding changes to pharmacies.

David Mowat: The Pharmacy Access Scheme will protect patient access in areas where there are fewer pharmacies with higher health needs, so that no area will be left without access to National Health Service community pharmaceutical services. Qualifying pharmacies will receive an additional payment, meaning those pharmacies will be protected from the full effect of the reduction in funding from December 2016, compared to others. A quality scheme will be introduced so that, for the first time, we will be paying pharmacies for the quality of service they are providing to improve services to patients and public. The Pharmacy Integration Fund will support community pharmacy as it develops new clinical pharmacy services, working practices and digital platforms to meet the public’s expectations for a modern NHS community pharmacy service. The aim of the Fund is to support the development of clinical pharmacy practice in a wider range of primary care settings, resulting in more integrated and effective NHS primary care for patients.

Health Services and Social Services

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made for the implications for his Department's policies of the findings of the Care Quality Commission report, The state of health care and adult social care in England in 2015/16; and what steps he is taking to ensure that this sector has sufficient funding.

David Mowat: We welcome the State of Care report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The independent regulator was set up to give a single authoritative account to the Department on issues such as this. This report from the CQC shows that the majority of the National Health Service, 72% of adult social care services and 87% of general practices inspected are good or better – and that improvement is taking place all over the country. Social care is critical in enabling older people to retain their independence and dignity. This is why, against the context of tough public sector finances, the Government has taken steps to protect social care services. The Government is giving local authorities access to up to £3.5 billion of new support for social care by 2019/20. This will increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament. Through the Care Act we have a reformed care system that means local authorities are in a better position to meet the care needs of people who need them most. Councils now have greater flexibility to arrange care as well as give greater choice and control to individuals. The Department will continue to work with providers and their trade bodies, who have come together as a taskforce to understand financial challenges in the sector. The Department is also working to support local authorities meet their Care Act duties to improve commissioning and encourage an effective care market. The NHS is performing well at a time of increasing demand – the Government is investing £10 billion to fund its own plan for the future.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September to Question 46210, who will represent his Department at the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in India in November 2016.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September to Question 46141, what his Department's priorities are for the 7th Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to be held in November 2016.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department will be represented at the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control 7th Conference of the Parties (FCTC COP) by the Team Leader of Tobacco Control (EU) and the Head of Global Tobacco Control Projects. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will also be represented at the FCTC COP through the attendance of the First Secretary of Health and Pharmaceuticals, the UK Representation to the EU, Brussels. The Department’s priority for the FCTC COP is to ensure the cost effective administration of the FCTC, leading to full implementation of its measures across its 180 Parties to effectively tackle the economic and health harm caused by tobacco use.

Maternity Services

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS (a) standalone midwife-led units, (b) midwife-led units situated alongside consultant-led maternity units and (c) consultant-led maternity units there are in each region of England; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne: The information requested is not collected centrally.

General Practitioners

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the average travel distance to GP services for patients in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Redcar and Cleveland, (d) Middlesbrough and (e) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

David Mowat: Information on average travel distance to general practice services for patients is not collected by the Department or by NHS England.

Disability Aids

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS-supplied (a) crutches, (b) wheelchairs and (c) other such mobility aids that have been broken are repaired rather than disposed of.

David Mowat: It is the responsibility of local National Health Service commissioned services to ensure that crutches, wheelchairs and other such mobility aids which have been broken are repaired rather than disposed of. The Government recognises the importance of repairing and recycling crutches, wheelchairs and other such mobility equipment where it is safe and cost effective to do so, however it is a matter for local determination. This is often jointly arranged between both the NHS and local authorities.

Midwives: Training

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18698, on midwives: training, whether any revisions have been made to the figures for midwife training between 2010-11 and 2014-15; and what the equivalent figure for such training is for 2015-16.

Mr Philip Dunne: There have been no revisions made to the figures for midwife training between 2010-11 and 2014-15 referenced in the answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18698, on midwives training. The total number of student midwives in training in England as at the end of the period for 2015-16 was 6,350.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Bank Cards: Fraud

Nigel Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with commercial banks and other providers of Radio Frequency Identification-enabled cards on (a) incidents of contactless card fraud and (b) prevention of such fraud.

Margot James: Since his appointment, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has had no discussions with commercial banks and other providers of RFID-enabled cards about incidents of contactless card fraud or their prevention.

Climate Change Convention

Steven Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to complete the ratification of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Mr Nick Hurd: An explanatory memorandum initiating the UK’s domestic approval of the Agreement was laid on 7th October 2016 with a view to completing the domestic procedures that will enable ratification before the end of the year.

Electricity: Prices

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the renewable subsidies programme on household electricity bills.

Jesse Norman: Renewables subsidies are estimated to account for around 6% of an average household dual fuel bill of £1,029 in 2016.* * Source: National Audit Office analysis of Department of Energy & Climate Change data, July 2016. Figures in real 2011/12 prices.

Electricity interconnectors: Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Tom Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential importance of a North/South Interconnector on the island of Ireland to the UK electricity supply.

Jesse Norman: The North-South interconnector is focused on increasing the integration of renewable energy between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and as such is a matter primarily devolved to Northern Ireland. Regarding the electricity supply between the island of Ireland and UK, imports into Scotland are constrained by wider constraints on the Scottish grid and on the border between Scotland and England. A number of measures are being taken to strengthen the Scottish grid and grid connections to England. These include the Western HVDC link, which is due for completion in mid-2017 and will provide an additional 2.2GW of capacity. The UK government welcomes interconnection where it is in the interests of UK consumers.

Members: Correspondence

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 9 September 2016 on Companies House, reference ZA5077.

Margot James: A response was sent to the hon Member on 26 October.

Ministry of Defence

Iraq: Military Intervention

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department is providing to Iraqi and Kurdish forces to assist in the recapture of Mosul; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning: As a leading member of the Coalition, the United Kingdom has assisted in the training and mentoring of over 29,000 local Iraqi security forces (including over 6,900 Kurdish Peshmerga). This includes infantry, counter-IED, medical and engineering skills - including a small team of Royal Engineers mentoring Iraqi forces carrying out bridge building in support of the liberation of Mosul, over 40 km from the city, in response to a request from the Coalition for specialist assistance. Many of the forces British troops have trained are participating in the operation to recapture Mosul.The RAF is contributing its advanced air capabilities to Coalition operations in support of Iraqi forces on the ground. Since the start of the Mosul operation, the majority of RAF strikes have been in support of the Iraqi ground operation in and around that city.Additionally, the UK has been at the forefront of humanitarian support and recently committed £40 million to the Iraqi government, which will include a contribution to the Mosul aid plan. This brings the total pledged by the UK to help the victims of Daesh to almost £170 million since 2014.

Nuclear Weapons: Transport

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the reliability of the vehicles involved in the transportation of nuclear warheads; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the transportation of nuclear warheads between RNAD Coulport and AWE Burghfield in each of the last three years.

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the security of convoys transporting nuclear warheads by road.

Harriett Baldwin: All vehicles involved in the transportation of nuclear warheads are subject to a rigorous maintenance and inspection regime, carried out by highly skilled and experienced technicians. Inspections are made prior to each use, as well as six monthly safety and annual mandatory inspections.The costs of the transportation of nuclear warheads between RNAD Coulport and AWE Burghfield are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The security of the nuclear warhead convoy was assessed by Ministry of Defence Security Advisors in September 2016 as overall 'satisfactory', demonstrating that 'performance meets the required policy standard'.

Nuclear Submarines: Decommissioning

Steven Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency plans his Department has for the decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarines if a suitable geological disposal facility is not identified.

Harriett Baldwin: Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) is the only type of waste from submarines that will require the use of a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF). A facility for the interim storage of ILW has been arranged at Capenhurst in Cheshire until the proposed GDF is available from 2040. In line with Government guidance, the interim ILW store will have a design life of at least 100 years - considerably longer than it is anticipated will be required.

Nuclear Submarines: Decommissioning

Steven Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear-powered submarines are waiting for decommissioning work to be (a) commenced and (b) completed.

Harriett Baldwin: There are 12 submarines in laid-up storage in Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport and seven at Rosyth Dockyard. Under the Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP) one submarine will commence 'Initial Dismantling' at Rosyth later in 2016, subject to regulatory permissions, to refine the process.While laid-up, the submarines are subject to regular maintenance and checks by both the Ministry of Defence and regulators, and pose no additional risk to workers or members of the public.

Royal Naval Reserve

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recruitment targets his Department has set for the Royal Naval Reserve.

Mark Lancaster: Recruitment targets for the Reserve Forces that include targets for Maritime Reserves have been placed in the Library of the House (DEP2013-2063-20131219).

Royal Naval Reserve

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve the level of retention in the Royal Naval Reserve.

Mark Lancaster: The Royal Navy Reserve utilises various initiatives aimed at improving retention. These range from improved leave and financial provision, through to maximizing training opportunities and Divisional support.Central to this is an improved offer, which includes better training, better equipment, improved remuneration and an improved experience for Reservists. We have also widened the opportunity for Reservists to contribute on operations. As a result, more Reservists are joining either as new entrants to the military, or with prior experience either in the Regulars or in the Reserves.

Royal Naval Reserve

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Royal Naval Reserve to support the Royal Navy in meeting its current operational commitments.

Mark Lancaster: As set out in Future Reserves 2020, the Royal Navy Reserve continues to be an integral part of the Royal Navy, conducting a wide range of operations and tasking.

Armed Forces: Coroners

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department takes to notify the appropriate coroner when the body of a deceased military person is repatriated to England or Wales from Scotland for burial or cremation at the wishes of the family.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence does not notify the coroner when a deceased military person is repatriated from Scotland to England or Wales. In these instances registering the death with the appropriate coroner would routinely be undertaken by the Funeral Home appointed by the family.Once a coroner has been identified, the Defence Inquests Unit will write to the coroner (in its capacity as the Ministry of Defence's single point of contact to Coroners) to establish whether an inquest into the death of the deceased is likely to take place.

AWE: Occupational Pensions

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to resolve the current impasse between parties on proposals to close the defined benefit pension scheme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will review the proposal to close the defined benefit pension scheme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Harriett Baldwin: The proposed changes to the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Pension Scheme are a matter for AWE plc to determine as the employer.The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) role is part of the governance structure only. This requires that certain, specific changes to the scheme be approved by the Board of Trustees and the Secretary of State for Defence.The MOD has been in close contact with AWE throughout the process. My predecessor met with trade union representatives to discuss the matter and MOD officials have subsequently met with AWE and the trade unions to clarify the Department's position concerning the AWE pension scheme.

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Departmental Overview 2015-16, Ministry of Defence, published 21 October 2016, page 37, what steps he is taking to address dissatisfaction among service personnel regarding the quality of repairs to service accommodation.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Departmental Overview 2015-16, Ministry of Defence, published 21 October 2016, page 17, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of complaints made to CarillionAmey about service families' accommodation.

Mark Lancaster: Between Financial Year 2009-10 and 2014-15 the Department spent approximately £660 million on both maintenance and improvement works for Service Family Accommodation (SFA). Works have included new boilers, loft insulation, kitchens and bathrooms, and the replacement of roofs. 96.5% of our SFA now meet or exceed the Department for Communities and Local Government's 'Decent Homes' standard. This means that the vast majority of our properties are: compliant with statutory health and safety regulations, in a decent state of repair, reasonably modern and provide a level of thermal comfort through efficient heating and effective insulation.The Ministry of Defence continues to hold our housing contractor CarillionAmey to account for its performance in managing SFA through robust monitoring of contract performance indicators and demanding action where the standards are not met; these performance indicators include routine and emergency repairs and the handling and management of complaints.

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Departmental Overview 2015-16, Ministry of Defence, published 21 October 2016, page 17, if he will review the contract with CarillionAmey to provide service families' accommodation.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence continues to hold our housing contractor CarillionAmey to account for its performance in managing Service Family Accommodation. This is carried out through robust monitoring of contract performance indicators and demanding action where the standards are not met; these performance indicators include routine and emergency repairs and the handling and management of complaints.

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Departmental Overview 2015-16, Ministry of Defence, published 21 October 2016, page 37, what steps he is taking to address the decrease in satisfaction with the overall standard of service accommodation among service personnel.

Mark Lancaster: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 27 October 2016 to Question 49897.



QnA extract on Armed Forces Housing
(Word Document, 14.66 KB)

Department for Communities and Local Government

Attendance Allowance

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the devolution of attendance allowance to local authorities on future regional variations in that allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Tenancy Agreements: Domestic Violence

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to social landlords on transfer of tenancy agreements to victims of domestic violence when that person's relationship with their abusive partner ends and the victim remains the sole adult tenant after the ex-partner moves out.

Gavin Barwell: The Department has not issued guidance to social landlords including local authorities, regarding managing tenancy agreements of victims of domestic violence who are joint tenants when the abusive partner moves out.Local authorities have powers to take action against joint tenants who commit domestic abuse against their partners including a power under the Housing Act 1985 to apply to the court to evict such perpetrators and have the discretion to grant a new tenancy to the victim.Many local authorities use these powers as part of their proactive approach towards assisting tenants affected by domestic abuse to remain in their homes safely if they choose to do so.Domestic abuse is a devastating crime, and Government has put in place a number of measures to provide necessary support to victims.Our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, launched earlier this year, set out our ambition to improve services for women suffering from domestic abuse, dedicating £40 million of extra funding for securing the future of refuges and other specialist accommodation-based services. This builds on the £13.5 million provided in the last spending review period. In addition, we will be providing a wider package of support, including commissioning guidance and tools, and expert support to help all local areas improve local commissioning, support early intervention and develop coherent pathways of support for victims of these crimes. This provides a critical bedrock of support.In taking forward the provisions in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 that restrict the use of lifetime tenancies, we will also ensure that the security of tenure of victims of domestic abuse continues to be protected.

Scotland Office

Scotland Office: Correspondence

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many members of the public have contacted his Department on the implementation of the Pensions Act 1995, the Pension Act 2011 and the campaign to equalise state pensions for women in 2016; and what proportion of those people have received a response from his Department.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has received 38 enquiries from members of the public this year in relation to the implementation of the Pensions Act 1995, the Pension Act 2011 and the campaign to equalise state pensions for women. My Department has directly responded to 6 of these, with the Department for Work and Pensions handling the remaining enquires.

Scotland Office: Correspondence

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department has set a target time in which to respond to correspondence from members of the public; and what the average response time for such responses is.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has a 15 working day target deadline to respond to correspondence from the public; 84% of correspondence from the public has received a response within 15 working days in fiscal year 2015/16.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department has begun the formal negotiation process for any new trade deals; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Garnier: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for International Trade (Greg Hands), gave on 21 October to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson), UIN 49161.

Trade Agreements

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that experts in trade from all countries of the UK are engaged in work on new trade agreements so that they reflect the interests of the country as a whole.

Mark Garnier: The Department for International Trade’s (DIT) task is to promote trade across the whole United Kingdom, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We are committed to working closely with counterparts from the Devolved Administrations. My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade met his Scottish counterpart during a visit to Edinburgh and DIT senior officials hold regular meetings with Scottish Development International and our Scottish counterparts. He has also visited Northern Ireland and is scheduled to visit Wales later this year.

Trade Promotion

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to increase demand for British services and manufactured goods in non-EU unsaturated markets abroad.

Mark Garnier: Firstly, the Department for International Trade is focusing resources in those markets and sectors (not just countries) that can add the most value, based on our forecasting. We have identified a number of these markets; three quarters of which are outside of the EU. These delivery plans provide export promotion support in high priority areas, and will focus Government efforts to encourage foreign buyers to buy British. They range from pursuing rail opportunities in Southern Africa to healthcare in China; from food & drink in Australia to airports in Mexico. Secondly, our department has inherited the GREAT Britain campaign, which showcases the best of what the UK has to offer to inspire the world and encourage people to visit, do business, invest and study in the UK. This campaign unites the efforts of the public and private sector to help generate jobs and growth for Britain. The campaign has already secured confirmed economic returns of £1.9bn for the UK. It can now be seen in 144 countries worldwide and nearly 300 cities.  The programme is designed to enable UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of the global appetite for UK products, skills and expertise in markets around the world. Thirdly, in order to help promote economic growth in developing countries the government has created a new cross-Whitehall Prosperity Fund worth £1.3 billion over the next 5 years. Its priorities include improving the business climate, competitiveness and operation of markets, energy and financial sector reform, and increasing the ability of governments to tackle corruption. These reforms will drive sustainable development in developing countries, and create opportunities for UK companies. Fourthly, UK Export Finance provides a diverse range of products to ensure that no viable UK export fails for want of finance or insurance from the private sector. They have provided a total of £15bn of support over the last 5 years. These products ensure that finance is not an obstacle to British businesses being awarded contracts in markets across the world.

Department for International Trade: Working Hours

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many civil servants working in his Department have opted out of the EU Working Time Directive.

Mark Garnier: Following her appointment on 13 July 2016 the Prime Minister established the Department for International Trade (DIT). The DIT aggregates UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Export and Finance (UKEF) and Trade Policy Units from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).Until such time as a transfer of functions order establishes my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade as a corporation sole, DIT remains a unified Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department for accounting purposes. The transfer of functions order (No 2016/ 992) laid on 19 October 2016 will come into effect on 9 November 2016.As DIT is currently being formed, details of the staff that the Department employs is being finalised, whilst employee transfers and recruitment are taking place.

Women and Equalities

Blood: Donors

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what progress has been made on changing restrictions on gay men being permitted to donate blood; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department of Health has asked the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs to review the donor selection criteria for blood donation including those that relate to men who have sex with men. The review is holding its third meeting this year in November and is on schedule to report in mid-2017.

Department for Transport

Heathrow Airport

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will put in place a legal ban on the construction of a fourth runway at Heathrow Airport.

Mr John Hayes: The Government agrees with the Airports Commission’s recommendation that a fourth runway at Heathrow Airport should be ruled out, and intends to take this forward as part of a draft National Policy Statement.

Heathrow Airport: M25

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which body will finance changes to the M25 resulting from the decision to expand Heathrow Airport.

Mr John Hayes: The Government have been clear that the promoter, Heathrow Airport Limited, will meet the cost of the surface access improvements necessary to allow expansion of the airport, including the costs of re-aligning the M25 motorway.

Heathrow Airport: Night Flying

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the proposed six and a half hour ban on night flights to and from Heathrow Airport will be given legal force.

Mr John Hayes: The Government requires that a legally binding ban on night flights of six and a half hours at an expanded Heathrow. Consideration of any ban will also be subject to the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Balanced Approach to noise management, including specific consultation with local communities and other interested parties.

Heathrow Airport: Transport

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much financial support the Government will contribute towards the cost of surface access to Heathrow Airport in the event that a new third runway goes ahead.

Mr John Hayes: The Government has been clear that the promoter, Heathrow Airport Limited, will meet the costs of the surface access improvements necessary to allow expansion of the airport. The Government’s 2013 Aviation Policy Framework makes clear that developers will pay the costs of upgrading or enhancing road, rail or other transport networks or services where there is a need to cope with additional passengers travelling to and from expanded or growing airports. Where the scheme has a wider range of beneficiaries, and are not specific to the addition of a new runway, the Government will consider, along with other relevant stakeholders, the need for public funding on a case-by-case basis.

Heathrow Airport: Air Routes

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms the Government will use to guarantee that an expanded Heathrow Airport reserves a set percentage of its slots for flights to other UK airports.

Mr John Hayes: The Government is committed to ensuring that expansion at Heathrow will not only protect existing routes, but also provides additional connectivity across the UK, with new routes from Scotland, Northern Ireland as well as the South West and North East of England. We are currently preparing a draft National Policy Statement, which will be published in the new year.

Driving under Influence: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to monitor the effect of changes to the drink-driving limit in Northern Ireland due to come into force in 2017.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether officials in his Department plan to meet their counterparts in Northern Ireland to discuss steps to tackle drink driving.

Andrew Jones: Officials regularly meet with their counterparts in Northern Ireland and we will of course be interested in any evidence produced by the Northern Ireland Assembly on the impact that the changes to the drink driving limit has on road safety in Northern Ireland. There are though no current plans to alter the drink driving limit in England and Wales.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Nuclear Weapons: Arms Control

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what consultation took place between the Government and hon. Members prior to the UK disarmament ambassador to the UN speaking against the UN resolution to start negotiations in 2017 on a treaty banning nuclear weapons.

Sir Alan Duncan: There have been no consultations between the Government and Parliament specifically on the UN General Assembly resolution on the nuclear weapons ban treaty. However on 18 July 2016, Parliament debated the successor submarine programme to maintain the UK's independent, minimum, credible nuclear deterrent, during which the issue of the ban treaty was raised.

Holidays Abroad: Insurance

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice his Department provides to people going on holiday abroad on travel insurance.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Encouraging travellers to obtain appropriate travel insurance and to understand their policy is a key part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 'Travel Aware' communications campaign. Our campaigns encourage travellers to ensure they (1) take out travel insurance, which covers them for all the activities they intend to participate in (2) apply for, if travelling within Europe, a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and understand what it covers, and (3) understand that medical treatment can be expensive.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what opportunities the Government will provide to Parliament to scrutinise the implementation of article 11 of the 1967 Exchange of Notes number 8737 between the UK and the US on the British Indian Ocean territory.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​I refer my Hon. Friend to my answer of 7 September 2016 (PQ 44535). The Government will inform Parliament on whether either party has given 'notice of termination to the other' in due course.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the provisions of part two of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 will apply to the extension of the agreement between the US and the UK outlined in article 11 of the 1967 Exchange of Notes number 8737 on the availability for defence purposes of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Sir Alan Duncan: The provisions of Part 2 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 providing for treaties to be laid before Parliament before ratification do not apply to a treaty which has been presented to Parliament by command of Her Majesty before section 20 of the Act came into force. The Exchange of Notes concerning the Availability for Defence Purposes of the British Indian Ocean Territory was presented to Parliament in April 1967 as Command Paper 3231 in Treaty Series No.15.

Palestinians: Health Services

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has raised with his Israeli counterpart access to essential medical treatment for people living in Palestinian territories.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: While we have not raised this specific issue, we have regularly lobbied the Israeli authorities on the issue of movement and access.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on whether the 1967 exchange of notes between the UK and US concerning the British Indian Ocean territory is, or has the effect of, a treaty between the US and UK.

Sir Alan Duncan: The Exchange of Notes constituting an agreement concerning the Availability for Defence Purposes of the British Indian Ocean Territory entered into force on 30 December 1966. It was registered as a treaty at the United Nations on 22 August 1967. We have, therefore, not taken advice on the status of the exchange of notes.

Department for International Development

Palestinians: Health Services

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance for medical care the Government provides for people living in Palestine.

Rory Stewart: The UK has contributed to medical care for Palestinians through our support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Authority. The UK is a long-term supporter of UNRWA, providing over £60 million in 2015/16. Through this funding, we have supported UNRWA to deliver comprehensive primary healthcare to 5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank and the region, as well as supporting them to access more specialised medical care.

Developing Countries: Drugs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the outcome of the EU referendum and the consequent renegotiation of international trade deals, whether her Department plans to continue to support other countries' use of TRIPS flexibilities to ensure access to affordable quality medicine; and if she will make a statement.

James Wharton: As part of our work to widen access to quality, affordable medicines in developing countries we encourage active dialogue between industry and governments to explore how they can best work together to facilitate access, and will continue to do so. This includes the use of licensing models that are compliant with the World Trade Organisation’s TRIPS agreement on intellectual property rights, and supporting developing countries to utilise TRIPS flexibilities, particularly in the case of national health emergencies. This is in line with the Doha Declaration on Public Health, which we fully support.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much direct financial assistance the Government plans to give to the Palestinian Authority in financial years (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.

Rory Stewart: The UK remains firmly committed to supporting the Palestinian Authority to build and strengthen the institutions needed for a two-state solution, which is essential for the prosperity and security of the region. As part of her examination of UK assistance to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the International Development Secretary will ensure this financial support gets the maximum impact and best value for money for the UK taxpayer.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which programmes administered by her Department provide financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority.

Rory Stewart: The Secretary of State is carrying out a full examination of DFID’s programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories including future financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority.

Climate Change Convention: Morocco

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she plans to take to ensure progress on international climate change agreements relating to loss and damage at the upcoming COP22 UN Climate Change Summit.

James Wharton: The COP22 UN Climate Change Summit will discuss a review of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage, which seeks to galvanise action to respond to the threat of loss and damage due to climate change. The UK will be pressing for a rapid conclusion of this review to enable the Executive Committee of the mechanism to continue its valuable work.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she plans to take to build resilience to climate change in developing countries through weather-indexed insurance at the Marrakech climate conference in November.

Rory Stewart: In December 2015, every G7 nation set out how they will meet a collective target to reach an additional 400 million people with risk insurance by 2020. The UK has led the way, making excellent progress in delivering on its pledges of support for Climate Risk Insurance in the past year including funding for African Risk Capacity (ARC) and Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI). UK Ministers have been invited to participate in side events at COP to highlight progress with the G7’s InsuResilience climate risk insurance initiative and on ARC.Currently, just 5% of losses from natural disasters in low-income countries are covered by insurance (against around 40% in developed countries), leaving millions with nothing to rebuild their lives after disaster strikes. UK initiatives give countries and people the tools they need to get themselves back on their feet, which is firmly in our national interest.

Climate Change Convention: Morocco

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to increase binding commitments to protect the world's poorest from climate-related natural disasters and extreme weather at the Marrakech Climate Conference in November.

James Wharton: Ahead of the Paris Summit on Climate Change in December 2015 the UK committed to increase its climate finance by at least 50%, and will provide at least £5.8 billion over the next five years to help protect those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The UK is also part of the G7 pledge to expand climate risk insurance to cover up to an additional 400 million people in vulnerable developing countries by 2020.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will increase climate risk insurance programmes to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change on developing countries.

Rory Stewart: The UK is proud to be a global leader in disaster risk finance and insurance and we are committed to contributing to meeting the G7’s InsuResilience collective target (set out in the 2015 G7 Leaders Elmau declaration) of helping up to an additional 400 million people in the most vulnerable developing countries to gain access to climate risk insurance by 2020.

Department for Education

Department for Education: Domestic Visits

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what domestic visits (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department  have made since July 2016; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

Caroline Dinenage: Domestic visits made by the Secretary of State for Education and Ministers in their official capacity are listed in the following table: MinisterDateVisit/PurposeThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateJuly 2016Visit to DfE site in Coventry to meet staffThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateJuly 2016Visit Walsall College (West Midlands) to meet staff and studentsThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateAugust 2016Visit to Southfields Academy (London) to meet students receiving their A-level resultsThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateSeptember 2016Visit to Ashburnham Community School (London) to meet staff and studentsThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateSeptember 2016Speaking about gender balance at Women at the Top Event by Financial TimesThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit Prudhoe High School (Northumberland) to open the new buildingThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to Roehampton University to open Chadwick HallThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to UTC Oxford to meet with staff and studentsThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to the University of Derby, Buxton and Leek FE CollegeThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to the Oasis Academy Limeside to meet staff and studentsThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to the Schools North East Summit to speak at the conferenceThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to DfE Site Manchester to meet staffThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to City College to meet staff and studentsThe Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of StateOctober 2016Visit to North City Children’s Centre   Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early YearsSeptember 2016Speaking at Early Implementers National Meeting (London)Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early YearsOctober 2016Speaking at National Mumandworking Awards (London)Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early YearsOctober 2016Speaking at the opening of the London Stock ExchangeCaroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early YearsOctober 2016Speaking at the Fawcett Society (London Marriot Hotel (London)Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early YearsOctober 2016Speaking at the Women’s Business Council three year on event (London)Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early YearsOctober 2016Speaking at the Advertising Association Front Foot breakfast event (London)   Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsJuly 2016Visit to Seabridge Primary School (Newcastle) for the launch of their teacher recruitment filmNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsJuly 2016Visit to All Saints National Academy (Walsall) to meet staff and pupilsNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsJuly 2016Visit to Leeds to speak at Teach First Impact ConferenceNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsAugust 2016Visit to UCAS (Cheltenham) on A Level results dayNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsSeptember 2016Visit to King Solomon’s Academy (London) to speak at graduation ceremonyNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsSeptember 2016Visit to Kensington Primary Academy (London) for opening ceremony.Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsSeptember 2016Visit to Havant Academy (Hampshire) to meet staff and pupilsNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsSeptember 2016Visit to South Farnham School (Surrey) to meet staff and pupilsNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsSeptember 2016Visit to the Brakenhale School (Bracknell) to meet staff and pupilsNick Gibb, Minister of State for School StandardsOctober 2016Visit to the Spanish Embassy for ‘National Day of Spain’ reception.   The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to Westminster Academy to discuss careersThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to Central Eltham Youth Project for work readiness trainingThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Speaking at Edge Annual Lecture (London)The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visits to New College Durham (Durham) to meet staff and discuss further education and apprenticeships,The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visits to Derwentside College (Durham) to meet staff and discuss further education and apprenticeships,The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visits to Churchill Community College (North Tyneside) to meet staff and discuss further education and apprenticeships,The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to Unipres Corporation (Sunderland) to discuss apprenticeshipsThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to Blackpool and the Fylde College (Blackpool) to meet staff and discuss further education, visit to Moore Park Primary School to attend a primary futures event.The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to Blackpool BuildUp (Blackpool) to meet staff and discuss careersThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to Cambridge Regional College (Cambridge) to view further education and apprenticeships provisionThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to Greene King (Bury St. Edmunds) to see apprenticeships in actionThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationSeptember 2016Visit to West Suffolk College (Bury St. Edmunds) to see further education and apprenticeships provisionThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationOctober 2016Visit to the National College (London) focusing Digital SkillsThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationOctober 2016Visit to Blackfen School for Girls (Sidcup) focussing on careersThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationOctober 2016Visit to MiddletonMurray (Sidcup) to discuss apprenticeships and traineeshipsThe Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for EducationOctober 2016Visit to Sarah Bonnell School (London) to discuss careers   Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and ScienceJuly 2016Visit to British Library for the launch of the India Digitalisation ProjectJo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and ScienceJuly 2016Visit to Manchester to speak at the EuroScience Open Forum and for a meeting with university vice-chancellorsJo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and ScienceSeptember 2016Attendance at Festival of Education at University of BuckinghamJo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and ScienceSeptember 2016Visit to the University of Nottingham to open the University Enterprise Zone.Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and ScienceSeptember 2016Visit to Loughborough University to speak to students and staff.Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and ScienceSeptember 2016Visit to Nottingham Trent University to speak at Universities UK ConferenceJo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and ScienceOctober 2016Visit to Birkenhead for RRS David Attenborough Keel Laying Event and visit to Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts   Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemJuly 2016Speaking at Education Policy Institute (London)Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemSeptember 2016Speaking at Foundation for Leadership in Education Summit (London)Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemSeptember 2016Taking part in panel discussion at Education and Employers Governance Conference (London)Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemSeptember 2016Speaking at Teach First Business Leaders Council (London)Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemSeptember 2016Speaking at British Chamber of CommerceLord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemSeptember 2016Visit to Kings Langley School (Hertfordshire) to attend opening ceremonyLord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemSeptember 2016Visit to King Solomon Academy (London) to meet staff and pupilsLord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemOctober 2016Attendance at On Side Youth Zone Meeting (London)Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemOctober 2016Visit to DfE site in Manchester to meet staff and attend Head Teacher Board,Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemOctober 2016Visit to Manchester Academy (Manchester) to meet staff and pupilsLord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemOctober 2016Visit to New Islington Free School (Manchester) to meet staff and pupilsLord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemOctober 2016Visit to King’s Leadership Academy (Warrington) to attend opening ceremonyLord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools SystemOctober 2016Attendance at discussion at Ormiston Academies Trust Annual Lunch (London)   Edward Timpson, Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and FamiliesJuly 2016Visit to Manchester to speak at ADCS Annual ConferenceEdward Timpson, Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and FamiliesJuly 2016Visit to Manchester to speak at Council for Disabled Children Conference and visit Trafford Council to meet care leavers

Department for Education: Families

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her Department has allocated to the Troubled Families Programme for (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18 and (c) 2018-19.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has not allocated any funding to the Troubled Families programme for 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Teachers: North West

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on which regions the teachers who have signed up to take part in the North West National Teaching Service pilot had previously been working in.

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in which (a) schools and (b) local authorities National Teaching Service teachers are due to be working in the North West when that scheme begins in January 2017.

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost to the public purse has been of the National Teaching Service pilot in the North West; and how much funding has been allocated to that pilot.

Nick Gibb: Matching of National Teaching Service teachers with schools in the pilot area is an ongoing process. Once that process concludes, I will write to the Hon. Member with details of the original and current locations of teachers placed, the locations of their schools and the cost of the pilot.

Pupils: Travel

Chris Philp: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has made of how far pupils travel to attend (a) existing grammar schools and (b) non-selective secondary schools (i) on average and (ii) for those 10 per cent of pupils travelling the furthest to attend grammar schools.

Nick Gibb: The Government is committed to enabling all children to fulfil their potential by delivering a school system that works for everyone.The Department has assessed how far pupils travel to grammar schools based on the school attended. This shows that the median distance travelled to school by pupils attending grammar schools is 3.1 miles compared to 1.1 miles for pupils attending non-selective secondary schools. The same analysis shows that for pupils travelling the furthest to attend schools – those in the top 10% in terms of distance travelled to school – the median distance travelled for those attending grammar schools is 13.3 miles compared to 6.2 miles for pupils attending non-selective secondary schools.These figures are based on pupils and schools attended in the Spring School Census 2015 and cover all pupils attending mainstream schools in years seven and above. Distances are calculated as the straight-line distance between pupils’ home postcode and the postcode of the schools attended.

Pupils: Mental Health

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that all staff in schools, including teachers, teaching assistants, and kitchen assistants, have basic training in young people's mental health.

Nick Gibb: Good mental health and resilience are a priority for the Department. We have high aspirations for all children and want them to be able to fulfil their potential, both academically and in terms of their mental wellbeing. Schools have an important role to play in supporting the mental health of children and young people. It is for schools to decide what training their staff need, reflecting their individual circumstances. We trust head teachers to put in place the right training, drawing on what is available. Sources of mental health training include e-learning modules on a wide range of mental health issues, via MindEd, a free online portal funded by Government aimed at everyone who works with children and young people. We are currently conducting a large scale survey asking schools what activities and support they have put in place, as well as what they find are the most effective. The results will be published next Spring. However, we realise that teachers are not mental health specialists and need to know how to help pupils access specialist support. We have contributed to a £3m joint pilot of joint training between single points of contact in schools and children and young people’s mental health services to improve local knowledge amongst school staff and develop effective referrals to allow pupils to access timely specialist support. To improve the quality of initial teacher training (ITT), in July 2016, the Government published a new framework of core content for ITT, developed by an expert group chaired by Stephen Munday CBE. The new framework of content will help to ensure that all trainee teachers are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Video Games

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the games industry on the potential effects on that industry of the UK leaving the EU.

Matt Hancock: We have ongoing, detailed discussions with the Games industry and others on all matters, including the UK leaving the EU. The Games industry is represented on the Creative Industries Council, which met on the 27th October 2016.

Cybercrime

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many start-up businesses have participated in the Early Stage Accelerator programme since it began.

Matt Hancock: So far, 23 individuals are participating in the current programme which started on 12 September. The early stage accelerator programme, called HutZero, is part of the Government’s strategy to promote the UK cyber security industry, and is designed to transform early stage ideas into workable proposals and potential new businesses. The programme supports individuals at the very start of their entrepreneurial journey.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 26796, how the figure of (a) £1,500 allocated to each young person and (b) cost of running the NCS Trust was calculated.

Mr Rob Wilson: The Answer to Question 26796 included the table below setting out the average cost per participant since 2011. YearAverage cost per participant2011£1,5532012£1,7002013£1,5702014£1,5382015Figures will be made available in the NCS 2015 evaluation report, which will be published in due course.  For each year, these costs are calculated by dividing the total cost of payments made from NCS Trust to NCS provider organisations by the total number of NCS participants. This approach was developed by independent experts. These figures do not include the operating costs of the NCS Trust. For further information on the NCS Trust’s operating budget, please see the published NCS Trust accounts which are available through Companies House.

National Citizen Service Trust

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 26796, whether the return of £3.98 for every £1 spent on the National Citizen Service is calculated on the basis of the cost of (a) delivery and (b) running the National Citizen Service Trust.

Mr Rob Wilson: The return on NCS is calculated on the basis of payments made to NCS provider organisations by the NCS Trust. The methodology for assessing the value for money of the NCS programme was developed by an independent evaluation expert.

Advertising: Regulation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2016 to Question 49394, on communication: competition, whether Ofcom has responsibility relating to the regulation of the advertising sector in relation to communications markets.

Matt Hancock: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for the regulation of advertising. The ASA’s rule-making arm is the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP). The ASA is an independent regulator and a limited company funded by industry. It operates a self-regulatory regime for non-broadcast advertising and has a co-regulatory relationship with Ofcom for broadcast advertising.

Voluntary Work: Children

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people have participated in the National Citizen Service from each local authority area in each year since that service was introduced.

Mr Rob Wilson: This information will be published in the Parliamentary Libraries in due course.

Voluntary Work: Children

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many participants in the National Citizen Service have been eligible for free school meals in each year since that service was introduced.

Mr Rob Wilson: Ever since the programme’s inception, young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds in receipt of free school meals have been well represented. For example, in 2014, 17% of NCS participants were eligible for free school meals, compared with around 8% of young people of the same age in the general population.All data collected on the backgrounds of NCS participants is self-declared.YearNo. of NCS participants eligible for free school mealsPercentage of total participants20111,94023%20125,46021%20137,30016%20149,28017%The results of the independent 2015 evaluation will be published in due course.

Gaelic Athletic Association

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) financial and (b) other support her Department has provided for Gaelic Athletic Association activities in England.

Tracey Crouch: The Government has not directly invested in the Gaelic Athletic Association.Since 2010, Sport England has invested £961,414 in 24 multi-sports projects which include Gaelic sport. Sport England has received an application from the British Gaelic Athletic Association to be the recognised NGB for Gaelic sports in Britain, and has met the representatives from the British Gaelic Athletic Association to offer help and advice on its application.

Broadcasting: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her policy is on devolving responsibility for (a) S4C and (b) all aspects of broadcasting to the National Assembly for Wales.

Matt Hancock: Following cross-party talks on the recommendations in Silk II there was (a) consensus to reject plans to devolve responsibility for funding public expenditure element of S4C to Assembly and (b) consensus to agree that the regulation of broadcasting should remain responsibility of the UK Government.

S4C: Reviews

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she will be obliged to put into effect recommendations arising from the Independent Review of S4C.

Matt Hancock: The Government is committed to a comprehensive review of S4C in 2017 covering remit, funding and governance the outcomes of which will inform S4C’s future services.

S4C: Reviews

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Independent Review of S4C will include an assessment of the channel's impact in Wales in areas of language use, culture, employment and communities.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the needs of the independent television sector are taken on board during the review of S4C.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the review of S4C takes on board the views of the Welsh public.

Matt Hancock: The Government is committed to a comprehensive review of S4C in 2017 covering remit, funding and governance. Further details including the name of the reviewer, terms of reference and process will be announced in due course.

Big Lottery Fund: West Ham United Football Club

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she will take steps to ensure the return of £425m of Big Lottery Fund money which was used to subsidise West Ham United's lease of the Olympic Stadium.

Tracey Crouch: The arrangements for the repayment of funds to the National Lottery from receipts from sales of land on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park are set out in a Memorandum of Understanding between the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, agreed in March 2012. The stadium has been converted into a multi-use venue and is used for athletics, other sports and cultural events as well as football. The lease of the stadium to West Ham United was agreed separately between the London Legacy Development Corporation and West Ham.

Communication: Competition

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential effect on the communication sector of the use of advertising as a proxy for payment.

Matt Hancock: I refer my honourable friend to the answer to PQs 49393 and 49394.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2016 to Question 49488, what estimate she has made of the number of full-time departmental employees who will work in plant health services after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice: We are considering the implications for our plant health services and possible options as part of our planning for, and negotiations on, the UK’s exit. This will include consideration of the resources we need to support the UK’s negotiation, as well as any changes that may be required to the plant health services when the UK leaves.

Ivory: Trade

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received on closing the UK domestic ivory trade.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: A number of representations have been made to the Department in recent months on the issue of UK domestic ivory trade. These primarily consist of correspondence to Ministers from individuals and interested organisations calling for the Government to act in this area. On 21 September the Secretary of State announced plans for a ban on sales of items containing ivory dated between 1947 and the present day, putting UK rules on ivory sales among the world’s toughest. We will consult on plans for the ban early next year.

Cheese: Trade Promotion

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to promote the export of cheese.

George Eustice: Dairy is one of our fastest-growing export sectors, with dairy exports totalling £1.2 billion in 2015. There is increasing global demand for our high-quality dairy products around the world, and we are working to maximise this opportunity by opening up new markets. The UK Food and Drink International Action Plan 2016-2020 was launched earlier this month. This sets out a Government and industry strategy to grow UK food and drink exports to 2020 and beyond. The Action Plan has been developed in partnership with the food and drink industry, including the dairy sector. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Dairy UK will work together to boost dairy exports by £180 million per annum by 2020. The Action Plan also identifies nine campaigns in target markets including the USA and China, which both have significant growth potential for UK dairy exports, including cheese.

Tree Planting

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to promote the planting of trees.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Forestry is a devolved matter and the answer refers to England only. New woodland planting in England is supported by the Rural Development Programme Countryside Stewardship woodland creation grant scheme. The Woodland Creation Planning Grant has also just opened for a second phase of applications. The first phase generated plans for over 1,064 hectares of woodland.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Overseas Students: EU Nationals

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2016 to Question 49427, whether EU students will be eligible for student loans and grants in academic years after 2017-18; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robin Walker: Current EU students and the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 cohorts have had reassurance that they will be able to obtain finance for the full duration of their course. Applications for 2018/2019 do not open until September 2017 and we will ensure students applying have information in advance of this date.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Working Hours

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2016 to Question 49489, if he will make it his policy to collect information on the number of civil servants working in his Department who have opted out of the EU Working Time Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robin Walker: We will follow standard Civil Service practice on the collection of information regarding civil servants opting out of the EU Working Time Directive.

European Medicines Agency

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with the Department of Health on the UK's relationship with the European Medicines Agency since the vote to leave the EU.

Mr David Jones: The Department for Exiting the European Union is working closely with the Department for Health and other interested Whitehall departments to consider the future relationship between the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency and the European Medicines Agency.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government plans to share with Parliament the analysis presented to Ministers on the options for the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: Parliament has an important role to play in our strategy for exiting the EU. However, as we have said before, it would not be in the best interests of the UK for us to provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiations and our preparations for them. Ministers in the Department for Exiting the EU will be as open as possible with Parliament.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government plans to publish a White Paper or a Green Paper including proposals for the negotiations for the leaving the EU before Article 50 is triggered.

Mr Robin Walker: When we trigger Article 50 we want people to be aware of our overall approach, to give as much certainty as possible, while at the same time not giving away our negotiating position. Parliamentary scrutiny is valuable but it cannot be about binding the Government’s hands in a negotiation. We welcome the unanimous conclusion of the Commons, "that this House recognises that leaving the EU is the defining issue facing the UK; believes that there should be a full and transparent debate on the Government’s plan for leaving the EU; and calls on the Prime Minister to ensure that this House is able properly to scrutinise that plan for leaving the EU before Article 50 is invoked; and believes that the process should be undertaken in such a way that respects the decision of the people of the UK when they voted to leave the EU on 23 June and does not undermine the negotiating position of the Government as negotiations are entered into which will take place after Article 50 has been triggered." We will engage with Parliament as appropriate.

Attorney General

Attorney General: UK Withdrawal from EU

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Attorney General, what role he expects his Department to play in the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Robert Buckland: The Prime Minister will lead our negotiations for leaving the EU. This will be supported on a day-to-day basis by the Department for Exiting the European Union, which will work very closely with other government departments, including the Attorney General’s Office, and a wide range of other interested parties.

Ministry of Justice

Death: Beachy Head

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been recorded to have died at Beachy Head in each of the last five years; and what the (a) nationality, (b) sex and (c) age was of those people.

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many detailed inquests have taken place in relation to deaths at Beachy Head in each of the last five years; and what proportion of verdicts for those inquests returned suicide as the cause of death.

Dr Phillip Lee: The information requested is not held centrally.

Claims Management Services

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of people who have paid more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company handling their claim in each of the last three years; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent those companies from taking commission of more than 24 per cent.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Government plans to publish the outcome of its consultation on capping the fees charged to consumers by claims management companies.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress her Department has made on reducing costs for consumers in making financial claims.

Sir Oliver Heald: Information on the number of people who have lost more than 25 per cent of their financial claims compensation to the claims management company (CMC) handling their claim is not held centrally. Our priority is to protect consumers who choose to use CMCs. We have consulted on proposals to cap the level of fees that CMCs providing financial claims services can charge consumers. These proposals aim to help consumers get more of the compensation due to them. We are carefully considering the consultation responses and the Government will publish its response in due course.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings (a) Ministers of her Department and (b) officials of HM Prison Service have had with drone manufacturers in each quarter of each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Details of all ministerial meetings with external companies are published on gov.uk. Information on officials’ meetings is not held centrally. We remain vigilant to all incidents involving drones and take the threat they pose to prison security very seriously. We have already introduced new legislation to further strengthen our powers, so that anyone found using a drone in an attempt to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years imprisonment. We take a zero tolerance approach to smuggling of contraband into prisons and work closely with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to ensure those caught are prosecuted. A range of methods to counter the threat posed by drones are continuously being trialled and evaluated for their effectiveness across the prison estate.

Employment Tribunals Service: Fees and Charges

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 21876, what progress her Department has made on its review of the effect of the introduction of tribunal fees; and if she will issue a fixed date for the publication of that review.

Sir Oliver Heald: The review is making good progress and I expect to announce its conclusions in due course.

Ministry of Justice: Claims Management Services

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which Minister of her Department has responsibility for claims management company regulation.

Sir Oliver Heald: The Secretary of State is the minister responsible for claims management regulation.

Young Offender Institutions

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the living conditions in young offender institutes.

Dr Phillip Lee: We are considering the adequacy of young offender institutions as part of our plans to transform the prison estate. We are investing £1.3 billion to reform and modernise the prison estate to make it more efficient, safer and focused on supporting prisoner rehabilitation.

Cabinet Office

Employment: EU Nationals

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has made any calculation of the numbers of citizens of other EU member states working in different sectors of the economy.

Chris Skidmore: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.The UK needs a fair and controlled immigration policy and that is exactly what this Government will deliver. The Government has been clear that we want to protect the status of EU nationals already living here, and the only circumstances in which that would not be possible is if British citizens’ rights in European member states were not protected in return.



Letter from UKSA
(PDF Document, 122.05 KB)

Social Class

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many regional roundtables with employers his Department has held to develop new measures of socio-economic background.

Chris Skidmore: We have held three roundtable discussions with employers and stakeholders to develop new measures of socio-economic background. Matt Hancock, the then Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, in March of this year hosted the first roundtable, which formed the basis for co-creation of the online open consultation on 26 potential measures of Socio-Economic Background. During the consultation which ran from 26 May to 24 June, two further events were held on 15 and 17 June, which were led by officials.